Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour)

Deputy Flanagan has warned against the point but it is crucial to debate the economic difficulties of the country at the moment. Anyone who attended a rural school knows what an abacus is and knows that if there is more on one side than the other then things are not right. Unfortunately, the economic difficulties are irrevocably connected to the Bill and the overall issue. I accept that rural schools have been faced with reductions in resources. Let us call it as it is. However, rural schools have also benefited in ways that larger schools have not. For example, smaller schools enjoy a significantly lower pupil-teacher ratio than larger schools. The ratio is 28:1 on average. I attended a school which had 44 pupils per class in the 1980s. We have it down to 28:1 at the moment and that is to the benefit of the people of the country and to education that we keep it at that level and strive, on average, to lower it. Reductions in teacher numbers in some rural areas have been disheartening but the current economic climate does not lend itself to continuing in the same fashion as previously.

I compliment the Minister of State on his speech. He highlighted in an articulate manner the argument for the Department of Education and Skills taking the steps it has with a view to giving an education to every member of society in an equal manner. Some Opposition spokespersons have made worthwhile comments on protecting education in rural areas and also the need for education as one of the pathways to recovery for the country. To reinforce the point, out of the 3,200 primary schools nationally, approximately 32 small schools will lose a teacher as a consequence of the budget measure relating to small schools. Those 32 schools account for 1% of the total, although it is 1% that I would prefer it not to affect. I, the Labour Party and the Government are committed to rural schools and their importance to communities across the country.

We must examine rural schools using a five-prong approach, in terms of geographical, parish, sporting, transport and expenditure factors. I cannot elaborate on that within five minutes but I have spoken to the people of Kerry at length at meetings throughout the county. I have met parents and boards of management. It is to the benefit of society for everyone to get a good education. Some people to whom I spoke referred to the benefit of being in a small classroom with an excellent teacher for a number of years. However, the corollary was also the case, which was to the detriment of some to whom I spoke. Everyone must be entitled to a good standard of education. I do not tell a lie when I say that I was contacted by a parent whose son was the only boy in a school with 14 pupils. The parents believed it was not a healthy situation but that they could not remove him from the school as the other parents were afraid of the pupil-teacher ratio falling to a level that would jeopardise the school.

Numerous difficult and regrettable decisions have been made and at times they have cost more than they were worth. The budget is about trying to regain the sovereignty of the country. I have attended public meetings and in terms of budgets I am aware that nothing we are doing is for the purpose of being popular. I can honestly state that I am making every effort to help our country to regain its sovereignty and to return it to a position in which the pupil-teacher ratio for every child can be reduced, teachers are better and everyone looks forward to the future. This is an unparalleled time. It is not a recession, but a crisis. When a country loses its independence, it has a big problem.

I wish to highlight an issue. While I am against the Bill, I bring to the attention of the House an important matter involving rural school transport in my constituency, specifically in respect of the 18 children of Abbeydorney and Ardfert who will newly attend Causeway comprehensive school in September. They have been told they will not be provided with school transport and that there will be no room for them in the coming school year. Many of them have siblings who attend Causeway and travel there by Bus Éireann bus. It is expected that this issue will prevail for a prolonged period. Schools in Tralee have told parents that, since the area's primary schools are not feeder schools for its larger schools, the pupils therefrom will not be considered. They have been left in limbo. Most of the pupils in question live further than 4.8 km away from their schools. I will revert to the Department on this matter as it is not acceptable for two children from a single family to board a bus while a parent must find a new school and drive the family's third child to it.

There are many complexities to the issue of rural schools and the transport thereto. Government backbenchers will take on board any criticism, but we need constructive help if we are to solve the problem.

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